Arrow in the Darhk
by TheOrange1
Summary: I am a fan of Arrow and the recent mid-season finale left me hanging like a sheet in the wind. In light of this, I decided to write a speculation fan-fiction for 4 X 10. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is my first fan-fiction so please feel free to comment. The named characters aren't mine, all rights reserved. The "plan" wasn't my own idea either.
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing, all rights reserved**

Oliver's hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight, that his arms started to go numb. He slammed on the breaks and frantically reached for the door. As he stepped out into the cool night air he immediately raced to the back of the limousine where he had left Felicity just moments earlier. "Felicity!" Oliver's voice cracked with emotion and dread as he grasped the handle and breathlessly flung the door open. He looked down in horror at her lifeless body, his heart lurched into his throat and scolding hot tears threatened to destroy what was left of his composure. He gently pulled her out of the limo on to the road starring at the blood dripping from her lips, then searching the heinous red stain expanding on the right side of her abdomen. His breath caught in his throat as he choked out a helpless sob. Then he was screaming, screaming her name, letting his blood stained fingers glide across her golden hair. He tried to steady his wildly shaking hands, he needed to check for a pulse. Her skin felt like fire under his touch, and as he searched her neck he felt a faint heartbeat. A slight vibration startled him as he held her close, Oliver numbly reached into the right pocket of his jacket and grabbed his phone. He glanced at the screen through blurred vision, it was John ... Oliver answered and struggled to place the phone on his ear. "John!" Oliver could barely recognize his own voice, it sounded like something from a horror movie, and he heard the terror in Dig's voice as he responded.

"Oliver, what's wrong!? Are you and Felicity alright? There was a deafening pause, "Oliver say something!"

"Darhk" Oliver felt a pang of bitterness in simply saying the name. "Felicity has been shot, the ghosts attacked our limousine, and I need an ambulance now! There is blood everywhere, please help ... she is bleeding out Dig!" John clinched the phone so hard that it hurt, he was calling to congratulate his friends on their engagement, but now the only thing he could do was panic.

Diggle breathlessly exhaled. "Oliver you can't be far, you guys just left ... I am close, I will come and get you. How is her pulse Oliver?" There was a fading heartbeat under Oliver's trembling fingers.

"It is hardly there, I ... I can barely feel it," Oliver was frantic.

Diggle felt a tight pain in his chest. "Oliver I am coming, your phone has a tracker, just hold on, I am coming!" Oliver was fine, he wasn't the one who got shot, he wasn't the one having a hard time holding on. Felicity was dying in his arms, he begged and pleaded with her to hold on ... then he dropped the phone; burying his tear soaked face in the curve of her neck.

oOo oOo

Diggle sprinted to his car, a concerned Thea chased after him … "Hey what's going on, is everything alright?" He simply glanced at her, and told her to get in.

"Oliver and Felicity were attacked by Darhk's ghosts, she has been shot ... I am tracking Oliver's phone now." Thea's eyes grew wide with terror, and she felt a suffocating lump in her throat.

"Oh no, no, no! Diggle they were just here, they just got engaged, how ..." she couldn't accept it, but it was happening.

oOo oOo

Felicity's eye flickered open for a few seconds and she tried to say something, Oliver reassured himself that he only imagined it, but then her eye lids fluttered once more. "Felicity, stay with me baby! Hold on, I am right here; I need you to stay with me!" He held her face in his hands, the all too familiar rosy pink of her beautiful cheeks had drained, and was replaced with a pale gray. She wasn't responding, no sign of life existed apart from her torturously faint pulse. Just then Oliver heard the squeal of tires behind him, and glanced over his shoulder to see John racing toward them.

"Oliver!" Thea's gut-wrenching cries pierced the merciless silence that had enveloped him for what seemed like hours. John reached his side, and gently lifted Felicity into his arms. Oliver would have carried her himself, but he felt like his legs might buckle underneath him. Thea flung the back door of the car open, and John cautiously laid Felicity on the backseat. Oliver quickly got in and lifted his fiancée's head onto his lap. Diggle slammed the gear into drive, and pressed his foot to the gas pedal so hard that it hit the floor board.

"Hurry, I'm losing her!" Oliver screamed in panic, he then glanced up to see a look of pure horror on his sister's face. Diggle was running reds and cutting people off in an attempt to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. He had only ever driven like this in the army convoy, even then he wasn't as terrified as he was now, knowing that Felicity's life hung in the balance.

"Oh He is going to pay, Damien Darhk is going to pay!" Thea's voice was raspy.

Oliver silently agreed with her, saying nothing but feeling every inch of his body surge with rage at the name. John pressed on the breaks and slammed on the horn as they entered what was almost the hospital's emergency room lobby. A group of frightened interns ran outside trying to assess what was going on. Oliver swung the back door open, and slowly scooped Felicity into his arms.

"Grab a gurney! I need a surgeon, and an O.R. prepped now!" A doctor in a long white coat yelled out commands. The interns frantically did what they were told, scrambling to remain focused.

"Please, my fiancée has been shot, she has lost a lot of blood," Oliver placed Felicity's limp body onto the gurney and raced after the team charged with saving her.

The doctor who seemed to be in charge started attaching monitors and shouted commands at her interns once again. "We might need to intubate her, pulse is fifty BPM, and dropping. Massive blood loss, gunshot wound to the lower right abdomen, possible lung collapse. She isn't breathing on her own," The doctor was holding a stethoscope over Felicity's heart, trying to keep her gloved hand steady. "I need her intubated right now! We have to get to that O.R. stat!" Oliver struggled to keep up with them, his legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each. He hadn't seen John or Thea after he ran into the hospital, all he could think of was staying right next to her. His hope to remain close to Felicity was short lived, as the O.R. team entered the room, leaving him outside in the hallway.

"'Wait, she's my fiancée, please I need to be with her!" Oliver pushed his way through the doors and took a left into the O.R. prep room, he saw machines everywhere, blinding lights, and the surgeon's hands grasping at Felicity's coat as he ripped it off, and then proceeded to cut her shirt open to get to the bullet.

"You aren't allowed in here," the voice of a women momentarily broke his trance. "I am sorry sir only medical staff are allowed in the O.R., please you need to leave." Oliver stood there for a few more seconds, eyes locked on his dying fiancée, he blinked back tears, and looked at the women. "There is nothing you can do for her, we will give everything we have to save her, but you need to go ... please." She motioned for him to leave, pointing at the exit.

oOo oOo

It felt like it had been hours, but all of it had happened in just twenty minutes. Oliver looked like a zombie, his skin was pale, and he was covered in blood ... her blood. He couldn't stand any longer, he collapsed into the nearest chair, and cupped his face in his hands. "Oliver!" Donna's voice echoed down the hallway, the clicking of her heels getting louder as she reached him. "Oh Oliver, tell me my baby is okay, please!" He mustered all the strength he had left to look up at her, but he couldn't find the words. Quentin and Laurel stood back a ways with looks of panic on their faces.

"Donna ... I," Oliver's voice was shaky, "I don't know." She sat down beside him, and grabbed his hands, he nearly burst into tears.

"Oliver, we are going to get through this together." Just then an O.R. nurse walked up to them and politely handed Oliver something, he struggled to see what it was through his blurred vision; but he could feel Felicity's engagement ring between his thumb and the first two fingers of his right hand. He squeezed his hand shut, and clinched his fist so hard, he felt the ring cutting into his palm.

"We wanted to make sure it wasn't lost during the operation, the surgeon told me to bring it out here to you." The nurse nodded and then quickly disappeared behind the O.R. doors. Donna tried her best to keep from sobbing but she couldn't, she just sat there with Oliver and wept.

"Hey," John and Thea approached the group sitting in the O.R. waiting room, "Any news ... ?" Thea's tone was soft and even.

Oliver looked up slowly and met his sister's gaze, he looked awful, and it startled Thea how close to death he appeared to be. "I have no idea Thea, you're asking as if I know ... I don't know!"

"Oliver," John's voice was stern, "we are all here for the same reason, that's Felicity; it is pointless to get upset with Thea ... she didn't do this."

Oliver's face felt hot with shame as he realized Diggle was right, he looked up at his little sister, who just smiled down at him "I'm sorry Thea."

"Ollie it is okay, I love Felicity, but I can't begin to imagine how you feel right now; she means so much to you." Donna let go of Oliver's hand and got up, inviting Thea to sit down with her brother.

"I am going to go and get some coffee and some air, anybody else want to come?" Donna asked with a sincere tone, her whole body shaking, Quentin nodded and offered to walk with her. Laurel and John stood close by talking about the night's events, each of them trying to occupy their thoughts with something other than possibly losing Felicity, but it didn't work.

oOo oOo

It had been over an hour since the nurse had given Oliver the ring, he kept looking down at it, and the dried blood in his palm, some of it was his; most was Felicity's. John walked over to Oliver, Thea was asleep on her brother's shoulder, she had a long day; they all had. "Hey man, I asked Lyla to grab some clothes for you from the loft, I told her where the spare key was, I hope you don't mind. Maybe you could get changed and cleaned up, she's here now with a clean change of clothes." Oliver knew he looked like he stepped straight out of a horror movie, he glanced at Thea and then back at John, before nodding his head.

"Okay," Oliver said passively, too drained to even think of protesting. He put his jacket under Thea's head and got up. He immediately felt an intense throbbing in the back of his head, it was like someone was jamming an ice pick into his skull. He stumbled, and would have lost his footing if John hadn't been standing there.

"Whoa, you alright ..." Oliver nodded reassuring his friend, "it has been a rough night, I'll walk with you; Lyla is at the front desk." John glanced back at Laurel who was already getting up to go and sit next to Thea, she wouldn't want to wake up alone.

Pink water filled the sink as Oliver scrubbed at his hands and face. He viciously picked at his fingertips, her blood was stuck under his finger nails; a gut wrenching knot harassed his throat. He looked into the mirror, his eyes were blood shot, and he had small cuts all over his face from the shards of broken class that had rained down on him and Felicity just a few hours earlier. He keeps recalling the look on her face when he got down on one knee, her beautiful laugh, and those mesmerizing blue eyes. He had felt his heart surge at her response, when she knelt to kiss him, he didn't think that kind of joy was even possible. Now, he only felt numb, his whole world had begun to unravel, he couldn't lose her, she was a part of him; he was a part of her. If she died, a piece of him would go with her, the light that she had brought to him; it would go out.

There was a quite knock on the door as Oliver put his shirt on, Lyla had grabbed one of Felicity's favorites, a light blue v neck with white threading. "Hey Ollie," Thea was awake and wondering about her brother, "you alright in there?" He opened the door to his sister, a smile on her face, "The surgeon is waiting to talk to you, everyone is in the waiting room." Oliver practically sprinted down the hallway toward Donna, Diggle, Laurel, Quentin, and a wearied surgeon.

"How ... how is she?" Oliver stammered, "Where you able to get the bullet, did everything go okay?" The man in the white coat nodded.

"She pulled through, that women is a fighter, for now she is doing okay, everything looks good. The bullet lacerated her liver, and collapsed her right lung, which we sewed up as best we could, she lost a great deal of blood, but she is stable. For now rest and recovery are the two most important things for her. What we have to keep an eye on are her vitals, and we have to monitor her condition for at least a few more days, she is currently in a mild coma, only time will tell. When she wakes up is really her decision, all we can do now is wait." Donna clung to Quentin, barely able to stand, she gasped and tears filled her eyes.

"Oh thank God, thank you doctor, thank you for helping my baby," The surgeon nodded and calmly walked out of the room. Oliver didn't realize he had been holding his breath, but he finally exhaled. There was a lightness in the air and it changed the entire mood of the group. Dig hugged Oliver, Lyla had gone back home with baby Sara, who tagged along earlier to drop off Oliver's clothes.

"She is alive," Diggle practically sang the words, it was welcome news indeed! Oliver's smile said it all, Felicity was alive, in spite of Darhk's attempts to kill her, and the others, Damien had failed.

"Did he say whether or not we can go in and see her", Oliver asked longingly, his only desire was to see Felicity, "I need to see her." The O.R. nurse who had given Oliver Felicity's ring earlier approached them.

"You can go in and see her two at a time, because she just now went into recovery. Also, she is in a mild coma so she can't respond, but you are welcome to go in; please follow me." They all agreed that Oliver and Donna should be the first two to see her, and so they both followed the young nurse through the doors, and past the O.R. lobby area. She was in recovery room 223, Donna walked in first and Oliver right behind her, both overwhelmed with relief.

Felicity was dressed in a white and blue hospital gown, there was a tube in her throat still, to help her breath until they were sure her right lung was functioning correctly. She also had had IVs in her arms giving her back some of the blood she had lost, and some electrolyte supplements to keep her hydrated. Donna moved to the right side of the bed and sat down, laying her forehead next to her daughter's arm. Standing over her, Oliver realized that more than anything he wanted her to know that he was there next to her, and that he wasn't going to leave her, he was going to stay with her and make sure that she was okay. A hot tear rolled down his cheek, never had Oliver cried a more welcome tear in his life, Felicity was alive; and for now that was all that mattered.

oOo oOo

It had been sixteen hours, sixteen hours since Oliver held Felicity in His arms, as she bled out onto the pavement. He thought he was going to lose her, but she was alive in front of Him; broken but alive. They had moved her to a more suitable ward in the hospital, one where more people were permitted to see her, Oliver was thankful for the extra support. He was also thankful that she started to breath on her own again, it had only been a few hours since they removed her breathing tube, but he was happy to see it gone. He was sitting alone with her, running his thumb over the back of her hand, unable to take his eyes off of her aside from using the restroom and nodding off for a few minutes at a time. He was so tired, but he couldn't leave her, never again, leaving her was not an option.

"Hey," there was a light knock on the door frame, John stood there with his arms crossed, "you doing okay?" Oliver had been better, but knowing she was okay, knowing Felicity was still with him; that helped a lot with his current state.

"I am okay John," Oliver swallowed hard before continuing, "Damien attacked me, but he hurt her, and it kills me knowing that he is out there; and that he could try again. I can't protect her and find him at the same time," Oliver's face grew red with anger.

"Then don't," Oliver looked questioningly at his friend, "stay here with her Oliver, she needs you, and frankly you need her too." Oliver's eyes stayed glued on Diggle, until he finally nodded agreeing with him. "When you proposed last night, I couldn't think of a time when you two ever looked happier than in that moment. Being with her, that is your mission right now, Damien isn't going anywhere; you can be sure he will be waiting for you." Diggle was usually pretty good at talking Oliver down from making a reckless decision, maybe tonight would be a good night.

"We can't be sure that He won't try and finish the job, if he is set on taking her from me, nothing short of giving my life, will stop him." Oliver's statement rang throughout the room, and it caught both of them off guard. "Dig, if he comes here; I will have to offer him exactly what he wants." He cautiously met his friend's gaze.

"Oliver I know that you think sacrificing yourself is the only way you feel like you can protect her, but you know exactly what she would say to an idea like that." John realized his mistake too late as Oliver stood up and his face contorted, tense with anger.

"Diggle she can't say anything, because she is in a coma! Darhk put her in this hospital bed, but I am the one who should be in it, not her! If killing me will end this blood feud, then that's what has to happen, she deserves the world. I am a monster who is loved by an incredible woman, in spite of all I have done, all the darkness I have let in, she still loves me. That kind of woman, is the kind that I would gladly die for Dig, she is worth dying for." Diggle had no response for him, he simply walked over, placed his hand on Oliver's shoulder, and nodded.

oOo oOo

Damien Darhk was sipping on a glass of wine, taking in the beauty of his wife and daughter asleep on the couch across from him. He had received word that his ghosts let Oliver escape, but he had ordered a follow up, and one of his men found a great deal of blood not far from the attack. After a few hours a DNA test came back to reveal the victim was Felicity Smoak, Oliver's girlfrie ... fiancée. Darhk felt a sense of accomplishment upon hearing the news, it would fuel Oliver's rage against him, and Damien loved a good fight. A muffled chuckle rose from the back of his throat, he was in a primed position. His daughter stirred and gave a slight yawn before moving from her mother's shoulder to her lap. His phone buzzed, "yes, what is it?" A nervous voice sounded from the other line.

"Mr. Darhk we have been unable to determine whether Miss Smoak survived the attack or not." Damien got up from the love seat and walked into the dining room, not wanting to wake his girls.

"Okay, are you suggesting that I go and find out myself? Maybe I can take a cab, oh you know what a cool stroll sounds even better." The man on the other end of the line responded with a strained tone, and it was with good reason; Darhk was not the kind of man who accepted failure.

"No need to do that Sir, we will find her very soon, and let you know when we do." Damien laughed menacingly before hanging up. There weren't a lot of things in Star City as dangerous as Damien Darhk, he was confident his men would do their job; otherwise he would make sure they couldn't do anything else ever again. He walked back into the room where his family lay sleeping, he took in the scene, what a wonderful night it had been, a very wonderful night indeed.

oOo oOo

"Worth dying for," the words hung thick in Diggle's mind, he was not willing to sit back and let Oliver take on a mad man like Darhk on his own. Dig was racking his brain trying to think of a way to save his friends, but he just kept hearing Oliver's words replaying in his head. There was no way Darhk was going to let Felicity live, if he found out she was anything other than dead, then he would send more of his ghosts to make sure one less heart was beating in Star City. Sweat gathered on his forehead, there had to be another option.

"John," Laurel had gone home to get a little sleep, and she was back now to check on Felicity. "I wanted to ask how she's doing, and Oliver? I guess I would ask you how you're doing too." Diggle looked at her with sincere eyes, He needed her opinion, maybe she could think of some kind of idea, one that didn't involve Oliver serving himself up on a silver platter.

"She is still fighting, Oliver is a mess, and so am I," Diggle felt the need to be honest. "Oliver thinks that Damien will stop if he turns himself over, but I told him that was ridiculous. He believes it is the only way he can save Felicity at least that is what it sounds like. Laurel we have to come up with something to convince him his idea is ludicrous." She eyed him with a questioning gaze before replying.

"Okay, I honestly don't know what we could do otherwise, what I do know is that Oliver loves her, and dying to keep her safe is hardly a ludicrous plan in his mind." She didn't have any ideas, no fool proof plan that could insure everyone's safety, especially Felicity's. "John, maybe dying is the only answer in his mind." There was a silent pause before John's eyes shot up to meet hers, he smiled widely and grasped her shoulders with his giant hands.

"That's it!" Laurel's brow curved with confusion, she was sure that he had lost his bearings. "Dying is the answer, Felicity has to die." A fraction of a second went by before she realized what he was suggesting, they had to fake Felicity's death, and hide her from Darhk until they were able to beat him once and for all. "Do you think Oliver will agree to it?"

Laurel shrugged, "there is only one way to find out." They both turned and started on their way down the corridor toward Oliver and Felicity. Just then Donna jogged up to them in a haste, she had been staying in a nearby room, the hospital staff pulled out a vacant gurney for her to sleep in while she stayed. Her hair was a mess and she smelled like day old coffee, but she still had a smile on her face.

"Are you two going to see Felicity? I was just about to head there myself, I'll go with you." The thought of telling Donna of their plan never crossed their minds, but it would be horrible not to tell her, so they smiled and kept walking down the hall; Momma Smoak in toe.

Oliver was slightly startled by the influx of people who slowly entered the room, he was so used to sitting alone with Felicity, that the three friendly faces caught him off guard. "Hey, I was just about to get up and use the restroom, I am glad you guys came, I was trying to convince myself that I could hold it for a few more hours." They all looked at him and laughed.

"Go ahead and go man, we will look after her while you look after your bladder," John's statement filled the room with light chuckles as they made themselves comfortable. Donna glanced over at Diggle, who was looking down at his hands, trying not to seem suspicious.

She remained near the doorway and couldn't help but feel that there was something John and Laurel were keeping from her, so she was resolved to probe. "I know you two are hiding something," She looked over at Laurel whose eyes shifted from the floor back to her knees, "I have a mother's intuition." Laurel was almost shocked at the familiar phrase. "Tell me please, what is it you are thinking of trying?"

Diggle gave up, this was Felicity's mother she had a right to know. "When Oliver gets back we will explain everything, you have my word." Not a minute had passed as Oliver walked into the room, wiping his hands on his shirt, clearly he wanted to get back as soon as possible; he didn't want to waste time drying his hands. He looked around obviously sensing the awkward silence that was invading the room.

He slowly made his way toward the bed, "someone mind telling me what's going on, you are all acting a little strange." He looked at Dig, who was motioning for him to sit down at Felicity's side, then he proceeded to tell Oliver and Donna what plan Laurel and he had come up with.

"We have a pretty wild idea, but it could work if we do it right. Oliver, I know you think that you deserve the worst of what Darhk has for you, but that just isn't true. You giving your life for Felicity is noble, but it is pointless, a man like Damien isn't going to stop after he kills you." Oliver flashed a look of anger at Diggle, and then at Laurel, Donna sat with a confused look on her face, unaware of what Oliver had been planning.

"Listen," Oliver's voice was hard and uneven, "if there was another way I would take it, do you think I want to leave Felicity with the same pain I felt when I thought I had lost her? Give me a different option and I will take it, otherwise let me do what I believe I have to do." Laurel saw an opening and went for it.

"We have to fake Felicity's death, it will throw Damien off of her scent; we just have to find a safe place for her, until this war with Darhk blows over." The room filled with an intense silence, everyone was waiting for someone to break it. Then the most unlikely voice quietly sounded from the hospital bed.

"Oliver," Felicity's voice was barely audible, but it was definitely hers, Oliver's heart caught in his throat. Donna's hands flew to her mouth, and she ran to her daughter's bedside. "Oliver," He grabbed her hand then she met his gaze.

"I'm here, it's okay, and you're okay." He was so thrilled he thought his heart might burst, he let the tears flow from his eyes, and he gently kissed her hand. Dig ran from the room to find someone on staff and let them know what was happening. Laurel stood there, a look of shock on her face, she couldn't believe Felicity was awake. Diggle was quick in finding the lead surgeon who headed Felicity's rescue operation, and he practically drug the doctor back to Felicity's room.

"You're awake," Donna's voice was shaky and her whole body was trembling, "my baby." Felicity looked over at her mom and smiled, then she caught the gaze of someone standing in the doorway who looked like a surgeon.

"Miss Smoak," the doctor entered the room with Dig right behind him, "how are you feeling?" She glanced back at Oliver, and looked back at the man in the white coat.

"I'm sure my head is going to explode, my side is killing me, but I feel alive," She wasn't sure if that was the answer anyone was looking for, but it was an honest one. The doctor approached her bed and took her right hand in his, checking her pulse.

"You woke up quite a bit earlier than we expected, and your heart rate is right where it should be," the surgeon scanned the room full of people, "you are sure to make a full recovery, as long as you take it easy for a few weeks at the very least." Felicity nodded vacantly, still adjusting to her current physical state. "At the rate you're going you can be out of here in about a few days, with required bed rest of course," he turned slowly and left the room, nearly colliding with Thea, who had been walking the halls for a majority of the day.

"Felicity," she was elated to see her friend awake, "Oh, thank God you're awake!" Thea sped over to Donna's side and placed her hand on Felicity's knee. "We were all waiting for you to wake up, it felt like an eternity, I'm so glad you're okay!"

The room fell quite as Oliver gently embraced Felicity, "It really did" Oliver said in agreement with Thea's statement. He let go of her slowly, then he remembered that Laurel had just finished telling him and Donna about the plan, and it was a pretty crazy one. Whether or not they would actually try it was now entirely up to Felicity; and he knew it would take some convincing.

oOo oOo


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing, all rights reserved**

Felicity stared up at Oliver as he took her hand in his, and swallowed the knot in his throat. He was nervous about the whole situation, Felicity almost died just 32 hours ago; and he hated the thought that her life was still in danger. As perceptive as Felicity was, she was struggling to understand why Oliver was acting so strange. Damien had tried and failed to kill them, but it was clear that the ordeal had taken much more from Oliver than it had from her.

"Hey, do you want to talk to me and tell me what is on your mind?" They were alone together at the moment, the others had been in and out all day; and they were finally together, just the two of them; for the first time since she had woken up. Truthfully Oliver didn't want to upset Felicity with what was really on his mind. Laurel, Diggle, Donna and him had agreed that he should be the one to talk to Felicity about the plan. Another thing he realized was that if he was going to commit to her in marriage, he would have to be honest about William. She had almost died, and the thought that she could have been killed without knowing the truth about his son woke Oliver to the reality that he was only being a coward by keeping such a monumental secret from Felicity. Oliver looked up and caught her gaze, for a moment he wanted to pretend that everything was fine, but he decided to do the hard thing instead and be honest with her.

"Felicity," He looked at her, and a weak smile formed on his face. "I have something pretty big that I have to tell you; and almost losing you has given me more than enough reason to stop hiding it from you." She looked into his eyes, clearly confused,

"What is it Oliver? You know you can tell me anything." He swallowed hard, and began to speak; his voice was soft,

"I … have a son, his name is William and he is ten years old. I am so, so sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She just stared at him for a few seconds, stunned, and visibly upset.

"Wow, you have a ten year old son, named William … how long have you known?" Oliver felt his throat tighten at her question, if he was truly resolved to be honest then he had to be in everything he said to her, from this point forward.

"I found out the last time we were in Central City, I wanted to tell you; you have to know that." Felicity's face contorted with frustration.

"Really, then why didn't you, and don't tell me it was because you were protecting me; I have heard that from you far too many times Oliver!" He shook his head agreeing that he had lied to her more times than he ever should have.

"His mother told me that she would keep him from me if I told anyone I had a son. I couldn't risk the chance of him continuing to grow up without me, but I know now that losing you, would hurt even more; and so I decided to tell you the truth." The look of anger on Felicity's face slowly turned to compassion, then she spoke.

"Oliver, I am shocked that you have a child, and I am angry that you didn't tell me sooner, but like it or not I made a commitment to you; and it will take a lot more than a surprise son to get rid of me." Her eyes found his in a glance, and he smiled, amazed at her composure.

"Can I ask you a question?" Her brow arched in interest at his request,

"Of course you can, what is it?" She was sure she could answer him, no matter how ridiculous the question.

"Why do you love me?" A look of shock suddenly dominated her features, his words weren't forced; he honestly wanted to know. Felicity inhaled deeply, and confidently replied,

"I love you because of who you are, an imperfect man, who tries every day to be the best version of himself that he can possibly be. I love you because you are a human being who lives selflessly, and constantly tries to put other's needs before his own. I love you Oliver, because of who you are, and what's in here;" she slowly placed her hand over his heart … "do you understand?" He stared into her eyes, and replied.

"Yes," he was sure that when he told her, he was going to lose her; but he was wrong. Unfortunately their tender moment faded fast as anxiety rose like vile from his stomach suddenly and overtook him. Oliver remembered that a certain proposition still needed to be brought to Felicity's attention. He had just cleared a major hurdle by telling her about William; this couldn't possibly be as bad … could it? He knew putting it off would only make it more difficult, so he spoke up once again.

"Do you remember when Roy faked his death to make sure that my identity and the cause would survive?" Felicity felt a strange shiver travel up her spine, she remembered, but why was Roy's heroism the decided conversation starter?

"Of course I remember, but that is kind of random Oliver," Felicity started to panic a bit; "Is Roy alright?!" She struggled to lift her body up in a sitting position, every inch of her frame racked with pain. Oliver clearly didn't want her moving around too much, she was in no state to push herself, and he held his free hand out to steady her.

"He is fine Felicity, I talked to him yesterday, Thea reached out and told him about what happened, he is sorry he couldn't be here. The reason I brought up what Roy did, is because I need you to do the same thing for me, that he did … I need you to fake your death." Oliver's words hung thick in the air, and Felicity glared at him half confused and half mad; but before she could respond a familiar voice sounded from the door way.

"Hey beautiful, mind if I steal him away for a bit?" Diggle looked at Felicity then glanced at Oliver.

"No Dig, you can take him, I don't mind." The pain medication was making her drowsy, and even though she wanted nothing more than to ask Oliver about his ridiculous proposition, she just shook her head, laid back, and happily let her eyes close. Oliver kissed her forehead and headed toward Dig. The two men walked down the hall in silence before John finally spoke.

"Oliver, Lance wants to talk to you about everything that has happened in the last 32 hours, he says that the DA's office is asking about how you and your new fiancée are doing. No one outside of the hospital staff knows about the attack, them, and of course all of us. I told him I would be sure to let you know." Oliver looked at his dear friend and with a soft voice he answered.

"Dig I told Felicity about the plan, I didn't mention you or Laurel, as far as she knows it was all my idea. I need to get back and talk to her about it before I can talk to the DA, I am hoping that I can convince her to do it, it is the safest option. She isn't big on running away though, she looked angry when I told her; then you walked in."

"Okay, then I suggest you go and wait for her to wake up, because you're going to need every minute you can get to convince her the plan is worth a try." John placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder to reassure him, nodded, then slowly turned to leave. He didn't get far before Oliver said his name.

"John," Dig turned and met his friend's gaze, "Thank you for being here."

Diggle smiled and spoke with unshakable confidence, "you would do the same for me, besides you're my brother Oliver."

As Dig walked away, the intensity of the knot in Oliver's throat grew worse and he became anxious knowing he had to talk to Felicity about the plan. Still, he realized that it had to be done, and so he turned and headed toward his fiancée's hospital room, hoping that she would wake up in an agreeable mood.

"Oliver," Donna greeted him at the door with a soft hug, "she is out cold ha-ha, my poor baby is so tired." He smiled at her, and walked around the bed, sitting in his normal spot.

"I told her before she fell asleep," Donna met Oliver's gaze as he spoke, looking slightly confused, it had been a long 32 hours. "I told her about the plan, she didn't seem too happy about it." Donna nodded, and then gently grabbed her daughter's right hand.

"Well she will just have to get over it won't she, I won't risk losing her again on account of her pint sized ego rearing its ugly head." Her comment made Oliver smile, it was true that Felicity was incredibly humble, even though she had the power and position to be the complete opposite, he loved that about her; and so many other things.

"I am going to leave you to do your persuading," Donna smiled, kissed her daughter's hand and walked out, leaving a doubtful Oliver to fend for himself. He looked down at her, taking her hand in his, he lightly ran his thumb over her engagement ring, he had put it back on not long after she woke up, and he was glad to see it was back where it belonged.

"Felicity," he spoke softly afraid he might wake her, "I know that you feel like you have to show everyone how brave you are, but you have nothing to prove. Damien is dangerous and no matter how much I try, he will keep coming after the people I love, starting with you." Oliver tightened his hold on her hand, and she started to stir, it was time to talk.

Felicity opened her eyes to see the love of her life looking back down at her, but the tender moment was short lived, because she remembered his ridiculous plan, and she was entirely irritated about it. How could he ask her to do something that screamed coward? "I won't do it Oliver, I refuse to run scared while that monster and his brainwashed comrades rip our city apart. Don't ask me to do this, please, I can't." Tears threatened her eyes, and she placed her right hand on top of his before speaking again, "Do you remember when you told me that the essence of heroism was dying so that others could live?" Oliver nodded, "Just like you, I am willing to die for what I believe in, and now you're asking me to hide …I won't do it." Tears fell from her eyes as she spoke her peace, then she inhaled sharply, looking at Oliver through blurred vision.

He reached up and gently caught the tears on her cheeks with his thumb, he hated seeing her cry. "I know who you are, and you're the most courageous woman I have ever met, this idea, I know you think it is what a coward would do, but it isn't. This plan is one that will keep you safe, we will gain an upper hand on Darhk, and then we can beat him. I can't focus if you're still in danger, this is the best plan of action, don't you get it, I can't let him hurt you again." Felicity interrupted him with fury, and she was clearly upset.

"Oliver, I may not be a Military vet, someone trained in martial arts, or a girl with Ras A Ghul for a father, but I am strong in other ways … and you are not going to tell me what to do! You may be my fiancée but what makes you think you can lord over my life like this, tell me; what is it that has you diluted into believing I will do this?" Oliver took a deep breath tears welling in his eyes, he was losing her, she was shutting down; he had to tell her the truth about what she really meant to him.

"Felicity, you're the light that keeps me from being the monster I once was, if I lose you, I could lose myself. Everything I stand on, all that I fight for, I do it for the ones I love, which includes you. I can't fight without a reason to fight, if he kills you, I will lose part of who I am; and my crusade will lose meaning." His words clearly caught her off guard, because she was silent, just staring at him with intense blue eyes, and he continued. "The reason I am willing to die is because I am expendable, you're not. This world needs you, Star City cannot afford to lose a hero like you. This city will always have some kind of vigilante, but you cannot be replaced; so please … do this for me?" He matched her intense stare and finally she let her guard down.

"This is an insane idea, and I hate everything about it, but I trust you; almost as much as I trust myself." Oliver started to become hopeful, was she willing to go through with it? "I want to do this with you, and I refuse to go anywhere that I can't still help you and the others fight Darhk." Oliver readily nodded in agreement, he was fine with whatever she wanted to do, as long as she was safe from Darhk and his brainwashed brutes. She suddenly glared at him, "by the way, you're not expendable; your life is just as valuable as mine." He loved it when she made sure to correct him, it reminded him that he was still human.

"Okay, we will do it together, you have my word." Oliver was so happy to hear her agree to go through with the plan that he gladly agreed to her conditions. "I have to tell all of Star City that you were killed in an attack on us by Damien Darhk, you're okay with that?" He paused and waited for her reply, seeing that she was a bit thrown about the idea of being dead but not really being dead.

"Yeah, I think so," she was still doubtful, and a bit irritated, but willing to do what was necessary. "So you will have to have a funeral for me and everything, to really sell it right … I mean Darhk isn't stupid Oliver." He shook his head before standing to his feet.

"I am going to meet with the DA's office and let everyone know about what has happened, it has almost been two days, and everyone is wondering how Star City's favorite newly engaged couple is doing. I will arrange the funeral plans with Dig and Thea, Laurel, Lance and I will help in informing the DA and SCPD about your death, while you and I also brainstorm about where to put you. We have three days to make arrangements to get you out of the city to some place safe." All of the information was enough to make her head spin, she laid back and starred up at the ceiling.

"I have only ever wondered about what my death would be like a few times in my life, I fell into the deep end of our local pool when I was seven, and I thought I was going to drown. The other times came after I met you." She looked back down at Oliver to see his reaction, and he was frowning, she smiled to reassure him she didn't mind facing near death experiences; they made her a stronger person.

Oliver felt her grip tighten, and he responded with a memory. "You have taught me, that sometimes the best way to beat a villain is to make them out-think you, but we are going to out-think him this time." Oliver smiled, reminded of how great a team him and Felicity make, thankful for her constant quick-witted ideas. "I am going to make him think he has killed you, and I will sell it, even though last time with Slade, I was only fooling myself by trying to hide how I truly felt about you." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Oh I wanted to let you know your mother is totally on board with all of this, she wanted me to tell you, she approves of you being safe." Felicity smiled, and closed her eyes in an attempt to hide her irritation.

"That sounds like something my mother would say, I guess it is true that mother knows best … sometimes," Felicity was sure that her mother wasn't always right in her thinking. Still it was no question that love was beating out her own will to stay and fight, because honestly; it was no use risking her life again. She was a force to be reckoned with, but Darhk was a force beyond anything she had ever encountered.

"Okay, I know that you are mad at me for pushing you into this, and I am sorry that this is the best option; but we wouldn't do it if I wasn't confident that we could pull it off." Oliver spoke sincerely and searched her beautiful blue eyes, heartbreaking tears began to roll from them once again; and he knew why.

"How long will I have to be gone, will I see you at all while this is happening?" The realization of how long it would all take finally began to sink in, it could take a while; and once they started it in motion they wouldn't be able to bring her back until Darhk was dealt with. "I don't know if I can spend that much time away from you, and everyone else I care about." Oliver felt a lump forming in his throat, he wasn't sure how long it would all take. He knew being away from her for a short time wouldn't kill him; but losing her might.

"I would rather be away from you for months, then risk the chance of Darhk hurting you again." Oliver's voice was soft, Felicity starred at him, tears still wet on her face, Oliver continued, "I will miss you, no question, but I'll see you when it is all over." He leaned in and gently placed his hand on the side of her face, "I love you Felicity Meagan Smoak, no amount of time or space will ever change that." Not a second had passed before Felicity closed the space between them, the kiss was soft and gentle, like the first one they had shared in the very same hospital the day Lyla gave birth to Sarah. There was a moment, it was brief, but for a split second everything seemed to be perfect. Oliver moved slowly to embrace Felicity and the kiss ended, but it was followed by something even better; they just held onto each other. Her small arms barely extending the length of his broad shoulders, moved in an odd pattern as she traced the scars through his shirt.

"I love you too Oliver Jonas Queen, more then you know." Her fingers slipped over his shoulders and stopped again on his scruffy cheeks. "We will stop Darhk, the light will win."

He looked at her releasing his hands from around her waist, he didn't want to admit that he hated the plan as much a she did; but it was the truth. Why was the solution something he knew would make both of them miserable? "I know," Oliver brought her hands down and grabbed both of them, stroking her ring once again with the thumb of his right hand. "You deserve to make decisions to, starting with where it is you want to lay low for a while?" A big smile rose to Felicity's face.

"I want to stay on Lian Yu," her response caught him off guard, and he nearly fell backward in his chair. "I know it is far, and remote, and my first visit wasn't ideal; but it could be the perfect place for me to stay." She tried to read his reaction, but Oliver's face was expressionless; he simply looked at her with deep blue eyes. "So, is that a no on the island then?" She waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to respond.

"I … I guess I am just surprised you would choose to go there, of all places," Oliver tried hard to respond in an understanding way. He knew he had blown it by the look on her face when their eyes met once again. "Please don't get mad, I just don't know if it is the best fit for the problem we have." Felicity's stony gaze shifted and her expression turned into something else entirely, she looked sad.

"Oh, Oliver, I wasn't even thinking about how you would feel about me going to Lian Yu, when it holds such awful memories for you; that was so insensitive." She tightened the soft grip she had on his hands, hoping she was not too callused in her planning. "The reason I thought of the island, is because only a select few know of your continued connections to it, Darhk not included; it was wrong to even suggest such a thing. Oliver I am so sorry, I need you to understand that I wasn't trying to be cruel." Felicity looked up, her remorse turning to shock as she looked at Oliver's face. Tears fell from his eyes as a soft smile rose to his cheeks.

"It's okay Felicity, you didn't do anything wrong; I am being selfish." A puzzled gaze over took Felicity's face as she tried to understand what in the world he was talking about. "The farther you are from me, the less likely I will be able to see you while this is all happening." Oliver swallowed hard, and hot tears poured from his eyes, "I just don't know if I am really okay with that." She looked into his gorgeous blue eyes and inhaled deeply before responding.

"You just said you were willing to spend months apart if it meant not losing me, was that all a front?" Felicity asked the question with a half-smile on her face, and slight sarcasm in her tone. "Do you remember the night I told you that you weren't done fighting? I meant what I said, but I left out the part about fighting to be together. You and I share a love that isn't threatened by time or distance. We are going to fight Darhk, and we will see each other again. Just don't try to fight alone Oliver, because you are not alone."

He starred at her, placing his left hand on her cheek, "I know what I said Felicity, but you should know; this is going to be really difficult for me. It is hard to imagine being apart from you for an undetermined amount of time, I'll miss you … a lot." He felt like such a whiner, and his cheeks burned hot with embarrassment; wasn't he supposed to be the strong one? He wasn't, Felicity had always been so tough, resilient, and courageous; she definitely knew what strength was. "That night when you gave me that pep talk in the tower when the mirakuru soldiers were destroying the city, you made me brave. Can you do that again, because I am really starting to see the cons of this plan now that we are actually going through with it." Felicity let out a small chuckle at Oliver's honesty, then she nodded.

"I am so proud of you, for the man you have become, and I'm so grateful to be your fiancée. I want you to know that it is okay to be doubtful, just as long as you don't dwell in it. Having the courage to admit you are unsure of something, means you also have the courage to get up and do it." Oliver's eyes lit up, and his smile grew to match them. "I believe in you, and I know that we will make it through this.

"You are remarkable," Oliver spoke and then he just starred at her, taking in the fact that soon she would be his wife. "I can keep fighting, just knowing you're in my corner … that is reason enough for me to keep pushing back against the darkness. I love you," his heart swelled with joy as he starred into her eyes, those eyes that could calm him with even the slightest glance. "I think it is time for us to put all of this into motion don't you," he leaned in and kissed her before getting up to leave. She squeezed his hand and he turned back in response.

"Could I maybe have just a few more of those, not sure how long I'll be without your kisses? I mean you can't expect me to let you go that easy." Oliver quickly found himself sharing her hospital bed, he sat close to Felicity, kissing her over and over, savoring every second; and with each kiss they both became more aware of the fact that they were only making it harder on themselves.

"Oh, okay;" Felicity broke the kisses with a soft hand to Oliver's chest, pushing him back slightly. "Ahem," she cleared her throat, "I think that will have to tide me over for now," Oliver breathlessly nodded in agreement, she had more self-control than he did; and she was right to stop him. "I love you, now get over to the DA's office, and let's get this plan set in motion."

"Okay," Oliver gave her one last kiss on the forehead, then got up and started to walk toward the door, but he stopped in the middle of the room. "Felicity, you know what I've been reminded of in light of all that has happened in the last two days," her eyebrows shot up in response, "I am an incredibly blessed man." Felicity smiled wide and watched the love of her life turn and walk swiftly out of the room, a man on a mission.

oOo oOo

"Hey," Lance turned around to see his eldest daughter and Oliver Queen standing in the Lobby of the DA's office, he was there awaiting their arrival. Laurel felt inclined to remind her father of everything that was going to happen, so she continued, "We are here to talk with your division, the DA and everyone else here about Felicity Smoak, Damien Darhk, and all that has occurred in the last 32 hours." They had already discussed all of the details of how they would carry out the plan. A majority of the DA's office staff was present, as well as a slew of reporters, and what seemed like every cop in Star City; all waiting on an update. Oliver walked slowly in to the small and extremely crowded conference room, a blank look on his face, this was it, no turning back. Dig promised Oliver he would keep an eye on Felicity, and Thea promised to do the same, but he was still having a difficult time with the whole situation. He stood in front of the crowd and immediately got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he knew what had to be done.

"Good evening everyone, I wish I was here under better circumstances," Oliver paused staring down at his hands, they were shaking wildly on the podium, then he looked back up at the sea of faces and continued, "but I am afraid I have some devastating news."

 _I hope you liked it, it wasn't as long as the first half, but I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

**There is possibly a major 4 X 10 spoiler, read at your own risk! If you have seen the Australian promo, then you'll be fine to proceed, just know there is a possible spoiler. Also, the "surprise" is of my own invention, it is not a spoiler, at least as far as I know it isn't.**

 **I own nothing, all rights reserved … enjoy!**

"As many of you have learned, I recently got engaged to my girlfriend Felicity Smoak." Oliver was choking out every word, straining to say what he knew he had to. None of it was true, but he still found it difficult to address the crowd. "She, Felicity was injured in a shooting, it was an attack by Damien Darhk … she didn't survive." The camera flashes and hum of chatter stopped, and everything stood still, silence enveloped the room as Oliver continued. "I will need some time to adjust to this loss, and mourn, so I am halting my campaign. I realize that this city needs a leader more now than ever before, but I am no good to any of you in my current state." No one spoke or moved, it was so quiet that even the low hum of the mic system was audible. Then what seemed to be a wave of reporters all started shouting out questions at once. The sudden onslaught of commotion was enough to change Oliver's placid temperament, and he ended his brief report with a few bold statements. "I have nothing more to say, I only wish that I could have traded places with her. I plan to stop Damien Darhk with my resources, and I will make sure he pays for what he has done. He has taken his last life … thank you." As he stepped away from the podium Oliver noticed his phone buzzing, it was Thea and she sounded worried, and if her initial reply didn't convey her fear, her news certainly did.

"You need to get to the hospital now, there is something wrong, you need to get here now." Laurel and Quinten saw Oliver, and they followed him out into the cool night air.

"There is something wrong with Felicity, we have to go, Thea says something has gone wrong." Oliver was frantic, how could this be happening, did a ghost get to her, did Darhk find out and pay off a hospital staffer to poison her, whatever it was, it wasn't good. The three of them scrambled to get into the car, they all decided Quinten's cruiser would be the fastest way there. With sirens blaring, they sped to the hospital.

"Oliver, what is going on, you are scaring me," Laurel could see his eyes brimming with tears as she asked again, "What did Thea say, just that something is wrong?" Oliver was silent, and Quinten just kept his eyes glued to the road, his foot pressed like a block of lead on the gas pedal.

With uneven and shallow breathing Oliver looked up at Laurel and then dropped his face in his hands, he had no idea what was happening, all he knew was that Felicity was probably scared and in pain … and he wasn't there with her. "We just have to get there, now!" The urgency in his voice startled Quinten and Laurel as they flew through the red lights, only a few more minutes and they would be at the hospital.

"I am going as fast as I can Oliver, there is only so much I can do, I'm sorry." The emotion in Quinten's voice was obvious, he was scared too, and Lance was never one to scare easy. Just moments before they were at the DA's office setting the plan in motion, but now … now everything had been turned on its head. The sirens rang out piercing the air with torturous shrieking. Finally what seemed like an eternity passed, and the detective's cruiser flew into the hospital's entrance gate. Quinten slammed on the brakes right in front of the lobby doors.

"I'll meet you both inside as soon as I can." Oliver nodded at Quinten, then leaped out of the car, and sprinted for the doors and Laurel was not far behind. In a panic he raced through the lobby and into the stairwell, and didn't stop until he had reached the 4th floor where Felicity was waiting in recovery.

oOo oOo

Oliver flung the 4th floor door open, nearly ripping it off of its hinges. His heart was racing, and he felt lightheaded, but he kept sprinting toward her room. He had almost reached it when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"No one is allowed in there," he turned around to see Donna sitting on a small couch, her arms on her knees, she was so pale. A breathless Laurel soon joined them, and Dig rounded the corner of the hallway right after.

"What, what do you mean no one is allowed in there, you're her mother, I'm her fiancée … they have no right!" Donna looked at him, her face was stained with tears, she had been crying.

"Oliver, thank God you're here, they won't let us see her, they said they needed to assess the damage first." Thea's voice was strained, she had just come out of the elevator, she had been walking around the hospital, trying to calm down, but it didn't help.

"They haven't told you anything? They can't just lock us out here without explaining what is wrong!" Oliver's eyes shot over to Diggle, who was standing arms crossed, a furious look on his face.

"They had security escort me downstairs, because I was causing a disturbance, she told me her legs felt funny, there was a doctor in the room with us, and the next thing I know, I was being asked to leave." John breathlessly tried to explain what had happened.

"I was trying to clear the financial side of things, to pay for her medical expenses, then next thing I know, I hear Thea and John yelling at the doctors, and nurses. It was horrible, they just threw us out." Donna's voice echoed down the hall, everyone was standing in complete panic, what now? Then the click of a door handle commanded their attention, as a doctor stepped out of Felicity's room, with a look of dread on his face.

"I am so sorry for the confusion and forced removal, we had to have a moment alone with Miss Smoak." The doctor looked frightened, because not only were Dig, Oliver, and Donna glaring at him with fury, now a flustered Quinten approached the scene; looking less than happy. Laurel and Thea just watched as Oliver stepped toward the visibly shaken man.

"We, want to see her, now, and if you tell me I can't I promise, you won't like my reaction." Dig raised his arm to try and calm Oliver, even though he was thinking the same thing.

"I need to speak with you about what has happened first, there have been some unexpected complications," the small man in the white coat starred at the group. "Please Mr. Queen, I need you to calm down, all of you please know it kills me to have to tell you why we locked that door. Donna was the first to find a spot on the tiny stone couch, a wearied Quinten joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Whatever you have to say, please say it, we deserve that much, what is wrong with my fiancée?" The six of them starred at the man with the clipboard, the silence was almost painful, than the doctor finally spoke.

"Our surgical team was not a thorough as we had first been told, this was partly to do with a faulty x-ray machine, which was not recorded until after the surgery." He glanced around nervously before continuing, "There is likely a piece of the original bullet that splintered off, which seems to have caused severe damage to her spine. Over the past couple days it has moved closer, and it is possible the fragment has now made contact with her spinal cord." No one said anything, they all just stared at him, then Donna finally responded.

"So, are you saying that the damage is going to cause paralysis?" Her question hung thick in the air, and it seemed like everyone was holding their breath for the doctor's reply.

"Your daughter is already showing signs of paralysis, and going in to get the rest of the bullet out, will likely cause further damage … but that will be nothing compared to what will happen if we leave it there." Oliver inhaled deeply, and Donna began to let out light sobs, this couldn't be happening.

"How do you know that the bullet is still in there, did you see it?" Oliver was hopeful that it was all a huge misunderstanding, and that Felicity would be fine.

"No, but medically speaking there is no other explanation for her deteriorating condition. She is losing feeling in her feet and calves, this means that a foreign object is lodged up against her spine, which could only be a fragment of the bullet we took out of her a day and a half ago." Every trace of optimism drained from Oliver's face, paralyzed, for how long, was she ever going to walk again? "The damage to her spine could be permanent, especially if we wait any longer. I am so sorry, but we need you to make a decision on whether we can move forward with removing the rest of the bullet?"

"Who, who needs to make a decision," Oliver furiously glared at the doctor.

"Well next of kin, meaning her mother," everyone froze and looked down at Donna, whose face was still wet with tears, "Miss Smoak I need your okay before we can ask her." She wiped her cheeks and stood, walking slowly toward Oliver she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"You do whatever you can to save her spine, and fix this mistake, you hear me!?" Donna's voice grew loud with anger, but she stood her ground, "you better do everything you can." She tightened her grip on Oliver's hand, he only stood there silently, in disbelief.

"Can we see her before you take her into surgery, I mean that isn't too much to ask is it?" Oliver's voice was hard, and he held the stare of the doctor as he replied.

"Yes, I have to go in and discuss this with her, we aren't sure whether she is totally responsive because of the pain medication, as well as everything she has been through in such a short amount of time. For these reasons we have to run all major medical procedures by the relatives also. You are welcome to come in and help me explain the severity of the situation to her, if she refuses the surgery, it is possible we won't be able to proceed, which is where you come in." He glanced at Donna then at Oliver, both of whom were focused on every word the doctor said.

"Well what are we waiting for, let's go in and talk to her, we can't waste any more time." Oliver's tone was strong and demanding. Everyone else stayed in the hallway as the two of them entered the room behind the doctor, nothing could have prepared anyone for what came next.

oOo oOo

As soon as Felicity heard the door open, and saw the three of them she was wrecked with emotion. "Oliver! Mom, what is going on, I can't move my legs, no one will tell me what's happening!" The terrified look on Felicity's face was enough to ruin Oliver's already broken composure. He quickly ran to her side, and wrapped her up in his arms. Tears poured from his eyes, and he was suddenly harassed by a sick feeling in his stomach.

"We're here, it is going to be okay, we will get through this, I love you." Oliver's words were received for only a moment as Felicity responded.

"Get through what, what is going on, please tell me." Donna was gasping at this point trying and failing to stay calm, it was all too much to handle. "The loss of feeling in my legs, it is serious isn't it, something is wrong with my spine?" Donna moved in by her daughter's side and took her hand, and then the doctor slowly approached her bed. Oliver was trying to slow the tears, but his attempts only made it worse, he looked up at her with already swollen eyes.

"Miss Smoak," the small man in the white coat finally spoke, "I am afraid that during your surgery a fragment of the original bullet splintered off, and is now damaging your spinal cord. If we don't go in and remove it, then it is likely your condition will only get worse." She looked at him with a blank expression on her face, all eyes and ears were focused on her, waiting for a response.

"So, you need me to tell you I am okay with you opening me back up to dig around for a fragment of metal in my spine?" She was clearly angry about the whole situation, but she was definitely aware of everything happening around her. "Okay, you say that you can stop the progression of the paralysis if you remove what's left of the bullet? What happens if something goes wrong, will I be able to walk again after all of this?" Her questions were met with absolute honesty as the doctor replied.

"Depending on the extent of the damage so far, and where the fragment is, it is possible your paralysis will only last for a short time. However, the contrary is also true, if it is lodged deeper then we suspect, there is a chance that the damage your spine has sustained … could cause permanent paralysis." Felicity's face contorted with fear, if there was a chance she could never walk again, she would be a tremendous burden on her loved ones.

"Do everything you can to get in and get it out, please, that is all I ask." The doctor nodded and explained the consent forms and paperwork she would have to complete in order to go forward with the surgery. Then the room seemed to be spinning, and it wasn't because she was dizzy, a sick feeling rose in the pit of her stomach. "I think I am going to throw up, is there a waste basket nearby, oh hurry, please!" Oliver frantically handed her the small trash bin, then there came a terrible gagging and Felicity's body shook as she let her lunch make its debut. A minute later all seemed to be fine, but her face said otherwise.

"Baby are you alright," Donna looked at her daughter and then glanced at the doctor. Then he looked at Felicity, and she shook her head attempting to say no. Seeing this confused Oliver, he wanted to know what was happening, so he grabbed his fiancée's hand and squeezed just enough to get her attention.

"Felicity, is there something else going on that you're not telling us?" Oliver then looked back at the man holding the clipboard, and glared for a few moments, what was going on? "If there is something else that is wrong with my fiancée, I think I have a right to know." The room was silent, and then Donna spoke.

"Okay, there is clearly something else happening, and I would just like to say, I am the mother; so I deserve to know as well." Felicity had a nervous look on her face, and it was with good reason.

"Miss Smoak, I can only inform them of your condition if you say so, there is such a thing as doctor patient confidentiality." Donna and Oliver glanced from Felicity to the doctor, what on earth was he talking about?

"Okay, it is time, we need to talk about it, especially now that I have to go back into surgery." The doctor nodded, Felicity looked at her mother, then met Oliver's gaze, he looked terrified, and it killed her to see him so scared. "I wasn't the only one who made it out of that surgery," He starred at her not saying a word, "Oliver, I'm pregnant, the baby is fine, I am sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I found out after I woke up, they explained to me that they had record of a mass in my uterus. They say I am somewhere around six to eight weeks along. The morning sickness has already kicked in, that is why I just threw up. You have every right to be upset, and I am glad this is coming out now, I hate keeping things from you." Donna's hands flew to her mouth, her, a grandma! Oliver breathlessly stared at his fiancée, a baby … that was really big news.

"Will it survive the surgery, I mean if our baby made it through the first one, the second one should be okay, right? Wait, pain killers aren't good for pregnant women to take!" A few moments went by before the doctor replied to Oliver's concerns.

"Yes Mr. Queen, there is only a small chance your baby would sustain any harm, if everything goes according to plan, both mother and child will be just fine. Also, we currently have Miss Smoak on a pain med called Paracetamol, which is safe for her and the baby." Oliver let out a deep sigh, and Donna began to cry, holding her face in her hands, she moved in close to her daughter, and kissed her forehead. Felicity's face flooded with relief also, as the doctor reassured them the baby would survive.

"It will be okay honey, I can't believe this, so much is happening so fast! I love you, and you know I am with you one hundred percent. We are going to get through this together." Donna wiped her face, shook the doctor's hand then dragged him out with her as she left. "Let's give these two some time alone," Oliver and Felicity smiled at her, then the door closed with a click.

"A baby," Oliver's tone was soft, and he made sure to smile at her when he said it. That gorgeous smile, she had seen it so many times before, but this time it wasn't reciprocated. "What is it," he asked in alarm, did she feel sick again, whatever it was he was going to be there for her and the baby every step of the way.

"We were careful, I don't understand how this happened, we were always careful." Her gaze fell to her lap and she continued, "are we really ready for a baby Oliver … this is a monumental responsibility." Her question caught him off guard, was she asking him whether they should abort? Clearly her emotions, and the traumatizing events she had been through were messing with her judgement.

"Felicity, we have fought side by side for years, I love you, and that will never change. This baby is a piece of us that will live on long after we're gone, that isn't something to fear; it is something to embrace." She nodded in agreement, her face hot with shame at even hinting toward something so drastic.

"You just found out about your son, and now I drop this bomb, I am sorry that this happened." Oliver began to shake his head, correcting her right away.

"Hey, listen to me, you are the woman I love, and you're carrying my child, I am not upset … I'm thrilled. Even though we weren't expecting it, and you are concerned about your condition, and the pregnancy, I wouldn't trade you or our baby for the world." He leaned in a softly kissed her lips, they just rested in the moment, but it was quickly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Hey, your mother is quite the secret keeper, I hear that you are expecting, and that the baby is fine." Dig moved across the room with the rest of the group on his tail. "So, I hope you don't mind us all barging in at once we wanted to check on you, and see you before they prep you for surgery." A huge smile was clear on Thea's face as she beamed at the couple,

"Wow, I am going to be the most amazing aunt ever, this baby will love me!" John chimed in also, wanting to take the title of Uncle Dig.

"Hey, I'll be the favorite uncle, this is going to be great, Sarah and the baby can grow up together, and we'll teach them everything we know." Diggle gave Oliver a quick wink and walked over to shake his hand, "seriously you two, congratulations, do you mind at all if I call Lyla and let her know, I told her I would keep her updated?" Felicity nodded, she was almost surprised by all of the support, here she was in a hospital bed surrounded by loved ones, and she finally felt a bit of peace.

"I am sorry honey, I had to tell them, they were all very concerned about you," Donna looked sincere and Felicity smiled reassuring her it was okay. "So, they say the surgery won't harm the baby in any way, which is good, but how are you feeling about all of this?" Everyone's eyes fell on Felicity,

"I am a little nervous, it won't be too much longer that they prep me for the O.R." She looked around at everyone and continued, "but having all this support will definitely help ease some of my anxiety." A deep exhale sounded from her chest, and she smiled to reassure everyone that she was ready. The group began to come up one at a time hugging and saying their "I love you's." It got a little emotional a couple times, especially with Thea. She made sure to try and bring everyone to tears.

"I love you Felicity, you are one of the strongest women I know, I will see you again soon, okay?" Thea finished her goodbye, and slowly walked out. Laurel could barely hold herself together as she hugged Felicity and then Oliver before leaving, right behind Thea. Dig gently hugged Felicity, like he was afraid he might crush her in his massive arms, but he was sure to give Oliver a nice bear hug, squeezing him enough to make him grunt in discomfort.

"Dig, your smooshing me man," John finally released his friend smacked him on the back, nodded, then headed out of the room. Quinten stood back respectfully, not wanting to impose, but Donna broke him of his bashful attitude a drug him over to shake Oliver's hand.

"I love you so much baby, and you," she looked at Oliver, "I love you too." He grinned wide at her words. "I will see you as soon as you wake up from the procedure, and not a minute after." Donna kissed her daughter on the forehead, then grabbed and squeezed Oliver's hand before walking out of the room, Lance wasn't far behind. When they were alone again, Felicity finally let the tears flow freely, she was scared, but she didn't want to admit it, even to Oliver.

"If something goes wrong, don't blame yourself okay, none of this is your fault," her voice was soft, but he heard what she said, and he quickly replied.

"You will be just fine," he placed a hand on her stomach, "you both will, so I'll have nothing to blame myself for, besides getting you pregnant of course." A smile rose to Felicity's face, he was such a goof sometimes, almost always able to make her feel better.

"Thank you Oliver," he looked into her stunning blue eyes before responding.

"For what?" He just waited for her answer, grabbing her hands and holding on to them tightly.

"For loving me," Her vivid smile told him everything he needed to know, but he was the thankful one. Oliver leaned in close, lightly kissing her, then he looked again into her eyes,

"Always." He pulled her close, and they sat in silence, words weren't necessary.

oOo oOo

 _Hey, thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked it. This chapter is most likely the conclusion of this particular fan-fiction, but there may be more from me in the future._


	4. Chapter 4

_There is a time gap here guys, but I hope you like it any way. This is just a very short chapter primarily based on what happened in 4X13. I thought would be fun to explore a little bit more of what Felicity and Oliver face now with her condition. Please note, I do not own any of the characters or the CW, happy reading!_

Felicity was irritated by the clunky oversized wheel chair she had now been confined to for what seemed like forever. Her frustration turned to rage as she struggled to reach for the orange juice on the second self of the refrigerator. Oliver still hadn't become fully aware of the fact that she was 2 feet shorter than normal, and she needed things to be accessible, she mumbled under her breath before slamming the refrigerator door. Oliver turned in response and he smiled apologetically at her, knowing that he had forgotten to put the juice back down on the lower shelf.

"Baby, I am so sorry about that, can I grab it for you?" Oliver had grown accustomed to asking her permission to help, he knew she didn't want to be waited on like some kind of royal monarchy. She glanced at him momentarily before shaking her head.

"If I can't learn to be creative when it comes to small things, then I'll never learn to do the big things. There is a chance I could spend the rest of my life in this chair, I need to adapt." Oliver glared at her, he hated it when she said things like that, even though he knew it was a possibility. The doctors said that her final surgery was a success, and the baby survived, but they also said that her condition was likely permanent. Still, he didn't want to let go of the hope that she might recovery her ability to walk.

"Hey, what did I tell you, I will not stop searching until I find a way to help you walk again." Felicity's eyes shot up and she offered a small grin before slowly wheeling her way toward him. He was standing on the balcony of the loft looking out at the city, Star City, his home. He felt an arm graze his lower back and he reached his left hand down to grab Felicity's.

"I remember what you said, and I know that you want to hold on to the hope that I will walk again, but for now, this is reality," she gestured to herself. He looked down at her, she was so beautiful, strong and determined, he didn't even deserve her, and yet she chose him. He leaned down and softly kissed her lips. The kiss deepened and Oliver moved to embrace her. They just held each other for a few seconds and savored the moment.

Oliver let go first and stared down at her, "I love you," he said, his eyes bright with joy, then he felt the need to correct her logic. "I hear what you're saying Felicity, but there is no way I am going to let you spend the rest of your life in that wheelchair, we will find a way." She simply smiled up at him, her eyes brimming with tears at his words. He was too optimistic, sure she had held on to the hope that she could recover, but with every passing day, she lost a bit more of that hope. Every time she thought about how much she wanted to walk, she was devastated all over again by the reminder of the bulky awkward wheelchair that seemed to be her own personal prison.

"You know, I was convinced that you would eventually give up on me, I know that's crazy, but I believed you were going to leave me." He pulled her into him once again, kissing the top of her head, before responding.

"I hope you know, that the only way I would ever leave you, was if death made certain of it. Even then I am not sure I would be gone for too long," a smile rose to his face, what a world they lived in. He let go and knelt down right in front of her, "marry me?" Felicity's brow contorted in confusion at his question.

"I thought I already answered that," she stared into his eyes, what on earth was he asking? Oliver grabbed both of her hands and then proceeded to clarify.

"Why are we waiting, let's get married now, it is a good a time as any, besides neither of us are getting any younger, so will you marry me Felicity Smoak?" A huge smile rose to her lips as she leaned forward to respond.

"I would love nothing more Oliver, I will gladly marry you, any time, any place." With that he kissed her, and they turned and went inside, finally they had some peace and quiet, and for now; that was enough.

oOo

On the other side of town a one handed menace was approaching another vehicle, Malcolm Merlyn practically snarled at Darhk as he climbed out of his car, white hair gleaming in the moon light. "Oliver Queen took something very precious from me," Malcolm motioned to his hand, "he needs to pay for it." Darhk smiled and met Merlyn's gaze,

"I couldn't agree more, what did you have in mind Hook?" It quickly became clear that Darhk's innocent joke didn't sit well with his villainess friend, because Merlyn viciously snapped back in anger.

"Watch yourself, or Oliver Queen won't be the only one with need to fear me!" Darhk practically laughed at the threat but nodded in hopes that the tension would go away. The last thing either of them wanted was to get on each other's bad side, after all, two heads are always better than one. "Listen," Merlyn paused and glared intensely at Damien hoping to demand his attention, which seemed to do the trick, because Darhk fell completely silent. "I know who Oliver Queen loves most in this world." Damien nodded chuckling lightly,

"Yeah me too, we did quite a number on her over the Holidays, he even announced to the press that she had been killed, not sure where he was going with that. They had to scramble to stop it before it hit the local circuits, apparently she is pregnant to, how rich is that? He had to make up some ridiculous story about the hospital making a mistake with the coroner's office." Malcolm looked annoyed at his rambling and quickly corrected him and he shook his head fiercely in an attempt to once again demand Darhk's attention.

"No, it isn't Felicity Smoak, she may be the woman he loves most … but there is someone else Oliver Queen loves just as much." Damien was intrigued and he turned squarely facing his new "partner" in crime, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"What on earth are you talking about Merlyn, does he have another fiancée we don't know about, spit it out?" A light grin rose to Malcolm's face, and he stepped forward to lock eyes with Darhk.

"William, Oliver loves William … his son." Damien's breath caught in his throat, Oliver Queen had a son? This was big news indeed, Merlyn had really come through with this piece of information. Darhk closed the space between him and Malcolm before placing an arm over his shoulder.

"Can I interest you in a glass of flawless wine and some of the best steak you will ever have?" Merlyn smiled, finally someone invited him to dinner, it would give them time to talk about destroying Oliver Queen from the inside out; and what better way to do so than to collaborate with a man who was the very definition of destruction?


End file.
